The Queen’s Speech, due to be read today, is expected to be one of the briefest in living memory.

Parliamentary Correspondent Patrick Daly spoke to North East Lincolnshire MPs about what their hopes and expectations are for the speech.

QUEEN Elizabeth had been expected to be paraded at the Royal Ascot races today.

But instead, thanks to Conservative and Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) negotiations dragging on, the racing fan will instead have to take a detour to Westminster to read out her Government’s plans before she can head west on the M4.

The Queen’s Speech – setting out the Government’s plans for the year – is likely to be a short affair but that is not for the elderly Monarch’s benefit.

Along with its brevity, another thing the Queen may well appreciate is that the Tories are proposing to give her a break from her annual visit to Parliament – they are scrapping the 2018 Queen’s Speech to allow MPs to focus on the Brexit negotiations over the next 2 years.

Martin Vickers, the Tory MP for Cleethorpes, hinted that policies like the so-called “dementia tax” and scaling down the triple lock pension could be off the table. The DUP are opposed to both.

Martin Vickers, Conservative MP for Cleethorpes, pictured on the terrace at the Houses of Parliament

“It’s fairly certain that the more contentious items will be given further consideration before they are brought forward in any detail,” said Mr Vickers.

The backbencher said he felt the party had done itself no favours during the election campaign by failing to explain its policies of tackling the issue of social care and getting rid of the winter fuel benefit.

“With the heating allowance, by all means, take it away from top-rate tax payers but you have to say that, by leaving it in limbo and just saying we would consult on it, everyone thought the worse,” said the ex-Scartho councillor.

“And social care is a massive issue both socially and financially and all parties are grappling with it and moving towards policies to deal with it.

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“Our big problem during the election was that most people didn’t know the present rules, so when we started to talk about a £100,000 base, they thought it was considerable less than under the present system.

“In fact, it was 4 times what we have now (for residential care) but people felt it was a big asset grab by the State.”

Prime Minister Theresa May lost her majority in the House of Commons after the snap election result produced a hung parliament

Mr Vickers supports the Prime Minister’s plan to lift the ban on setting up new grammar schools, arguing that it would help support the academically gifted in much the same way those with artistic and sporting talents are given specific help currently.

The DUP could choose to support the initiative given grammar schools exist in Northern Ireland and have public support. But it is closer to home where Mrs May could face stumbling blocks.

“It is contentious within the Conservative Party, so that’s the PM’s problem,” Mr Vickers said.

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A free vote on lifting the ban on hunting foxes with dogs, again promised in the manifesto, is another which is unlikely to see the light of day over the next two years, he believes.

“We should never have gone down that route,” added Mr Vickers.

“I think it is best for those on both sides of that argument to let things stay as they are.”

A fox hunting pack heads out for the last time after new legislation is brought in to law in 1997

Instead, Mr Vickers believes the Queen’s Speech will focus on delivering the Great Repeal Bill and also possibly a counter terrorism bill to give more powers to the police to tackle the recent spate of attacks in Britain.

The Great Repeal Bill will take every piece of EU legislation and regulation and move it into UK law, so that there are no immediate changes after the divorce from Brussels.

Only after the legal transfer would the Government look to take out elements it didn’t agree with.

“The Great Repeal Bill, in terms of parliamentary time, is clearly going to be very challenging,” added Mr Vickers, who was re-elected with an increased majority at the snap election.

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“The Government should recognise that one of the main reasons they lost their majority at the election was because parents rejected their education plans, and so they should drop them from the Queen’s Speech,” said Ms Onn, who was re-elected albeit with a reduced majority.

Melanie Onn MP for Grimsby, has urged the Prime Minister to drop her education plans

“During the General Election campaign, parents were particularly concerned by the Tories’ education policies.

“I am calling on the Government to keep free school meals, scrap their plans to bring back grammar schools and use the funding to U-turn on the huge cuts facing for schools and nurseries in Grimsby,” she said.

Ms Onn may well get her way but not necessarily because the PM is listening to Labour MPs – but because her new fragile status, having failed to get her fresh mandate from the public, means she cannot afford to do anything that might rock the boat.

Parliament’s authorities are forsaking the usual fanfare for the State Opening of the hung parliament this morning.

There will be no horse-drawn carriage, the Queen will forsake her traditional ornate robes for a “day dress” and no crown will be worn.

This promises to be the least flashy Queen’s Speech in decades – both in terms of style and content.